AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday, Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, held a press conference with leaders from the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) to advocate for regulation of THC amid the Texas Senate’s debate on a refiled ban in the special session.
Exactly one month after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a proposed hemp-derived THC ban, the Texas Senate debated a new, nearly identical ban on Tuesday.
Gutierrez said while he has always advocated for a fully regulated medical marijuana and recreational marijuana program, he said “appropriate steps need to be taken.” Furthermore, he said the current hemp bill in place has opened up to the possibility of derivatives, like synthetic THC.
“Those synthetics are causing great harm to people throughout this state,” Gutierrez said. “We created a system, a wild west system, of obtaining cannabis products with zero age limit. So I think people at home need to be aware that there is zero age limit in obtaining this. You can go to a convenience store right now, be a 14-year-old kid and be able to buy a vape pen. That simply is wrong, it’s not right. And all the science will tell you that that 14-year-old is not ready for the introduction of cannabis into their body.”
Gutierrez was joined by Texas Original CEO Nico Richardson, a TCUP patient and others who advocated at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday.
“This might sound strange from the guy that always wanted to legalize marijuana. But we do have to do things appropriately and responsibly. And what we’ve done, simply, is an irresponsible measure,” Gutierrez said during the conference.
TCUP launched in 2015 for epileptic children and has since slowly grown to include more people, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. It provides low-THC cannabis to patients with a proper prescription from a physician.
This comes after TCUP was expanded by House Bill 46 during the 89th Legislative Session.
The legislation in HB 46 calls for expanding the number of licensed cannabis providers in the TCUP from three to 15. Additionally, it allows patients with chronic pain and patients with traumatic brain injuries to take part in the program.
Since 2015, the TCUP has provided safe, regulated access to medical cannabis for thousands of Texans, Richardson said.
“Every day, we hear from patients whose lives have been changed for the better because of this medicine. The reason this program works and is trusted by physicians and immunocompromised patients is because it is highly regulated,” he said.
On Tuesday, Texas Senate Committee heard testimony from the public on Senate Bill 5, which was filed by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. Members of law enforcement who strongly advocated for a ban, as well as community members who said a ban would infringe on their rights as individuals, were included in the testimony.
Many law enforcement officials, as well as medical experts, said the product was too dangerous to have on the market — even if it’s regulated.
Zach Crow, a Houston attorney, represents companies with a stake in the THC market in Texas. He said Tuesday that current opposition to THC from legislators was contrary to the TCUP.
“We’ve acknowledged that federally illegal marijuana under the TCUP program is fine and it’s helping people,” Crow said. “Which one is it? It can’t be both. Either THC and cannabis are good things that can help people, or it’s evil.”
John Thomas, Dylan McKim and Ford McCracken contributed to this report.